Affidavit No. 6532/2011

Sworn Statement

After having been warned to tell the truth and nothing but the truth or else I shall be subjected to penal action, I, the undersigned, Hatem Naser Ahmad Sharabati, of Palestinian nationality, holder of ID No. 978235174, born on 25 April 1942, a trader, and a resident of Khallet Manna’/ Hebron city, Hebron governorate, would like to declare the following:

On Saturday 02 July 2011 at about 16:40 pm, I prayed Al-‘Asr prayer at Al-Sheikh Ali Al-Bakka’ Mosque located in the center of Hebron city. After the prayer, I participated in a peaceful demonstration along with hundreds of citizens, organized by Al-Tahrir party in the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the destruction of the Islamic Caliphate. This demonstration started from the mosque itself and came as a response to the Palestinian National Authority’s decision to prevent a previously scheduled demonstration in Ramallah even though the organisers had informed the relevant authorities according to the law.

The demonstration moved about 150 metres ahead, and joined with other similar demonstrations starting from Al-Sarahneh mosque near Hebron governmental hospital – ‘Alia Hospital.’ The Participants raised black banners with slogans like “No God but God and Muhammad is the prophet" and chanted slogans including: "The Nation wants an Islamic caliphate" and “there is no god but God, the Islamic caliphate is God's promise.”

When the demonstrators reached the northern side of “Bab-Al-Zawiya” square, near the southern entrance of Wadi Al-Tuffah road, they were attacked from behind by Palestinian Police forces. These forces were equipped with batons and shields and were wearing helmets and white vests used for protection.

The Police officers hit the demonstrators strongly with batons on the upper parts of their bodies. Consequently, demonstrators were dispersed. I continued marching with others heading to Al-Manara circle in the north while waving flags and chanting slogans.

When we approached Widad Nasr-al-Din secondary girls’ school, we witnessed an intensive deployment of troops and vehicles belonging to the Palestinian Internal Security and the Palestinian Police. Once again the demonstrators were attacked. I witnessed two armed men wearing civilian clothes among those who attacked the demonstrators.

During the attack by the Police officers, I witnessed one of them wielding his baton in the face of Ya’qoub Hanini who is about 80 years old and was walking beside me as he was participating with us in the peaceful demonstration. I asked the Police officer how he could hit a man who was probably older than his father. At that time, one of the Internal Security officers hit me from behind with his baton on my left arm, causing me severe pain and swelling.

I continued walking towards Al-Manara circle and then left the area after the demonstrators scattered. I witnessed Internal Security forces using batons on the upper parts of the demonstrators’ bodies to scatter them.